Ah ha!!!

Aralt's luck was with him for he finally found the caves beneath the Baron's Mansion.  First he had tried a tracking spell that he had learn long ago.  "This should do it," he thought.  The problem with a tracking spell is that it is great for tracking down something, but not very good when tracking a place that has been traveled over and over again.  

There were so many footprints that Aralt soon realized that he would have just about as much luck in the middle of the busiest street in the village trying to find his own footprints.  "Dragonsbreathe!" he muttered disgruntled.  "I don't have time to check out all of these caves."  But soon it was evident that he wasn't going to be able to do this the easy way and resigned himself to start exploring each cave with every twist and turn.

After several hours of searching and just before he was ready to give up thinking that maybe he did have the wrong caves after all-- he heard it.  At first he wasn't sure what the noise was, but as he approached the direction it was coming from, he realized that what he was hearing was laughter.  The laughter of a Dragon!  "I knew I was right," he silently congratulated himself.  

​Soon he was close enough to where the sounds were coming from that he realized he could hear someone with the Dragon.  "Best not to let them know I am here until I am ready for them," Aralt decided.  Sneaking up quietly, he was able to peer into the part of the cave where he could see a Dragon and a rodent.  "Ugh!  Why would anyone want to sit and talk to a rat?" thought Aralt.

As he was listening, the rat started to read the Dragon another joke...  "Okay Dree.  I have a good one for you.  What did the left eye tell the right eye?"  The Dragon shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.  "I don't know, what?" he asked.  Snickering Drat answered, "Something between us smells."  It took Dree a few seconds before he figured out the punchline and started to laugh. 

​ "That was terrible," groaned Aralt before he realized that he had spoken out loud. ​Quickly both Dree and Drat turned towards him since they had not heard him sneaking up on them while they were telling jokes to each other.  It was Aralt who recovered first.  "Greeting.  I am Aralt the Dragon Herald.  Whom may I say I have the pleasure of speaking to?"

Drat and Dree both looked at each other before Dree answered.  "My name is Drai'ochtluan but you may call me Dree for short.  This is my friend and aid to King Dulbbe, Drat.  What is a Dragon Herald might I ask?"

Aralt wasn't ready for that question.  He had been the Dragon Herald for so long that all of the Dragons knew him and what he did.  Why didn't this one?  "Why, I announce the Dragons arrival and help to keep the understanding that has long been in place between Dragons and all of the other fae to also include the 'Outies'," answered Aralt.  "How is it that you have never heard of me?  Where are the other Dragons so that I may talk to them instead?" Aralt asked while thinking that this young Dragon must not be very bright.

Drat immediately understood the situation and realized just what to do.  "Oh mighty Dragon Herald.  Long have we awaited your return.  The other Dragons are not at this location as they now send their young to these caves to learn.  This young Dragon has just started his training and knows little of the larger ways of his betters.  Might I lead you to them if you have forgotten the way?" asked Drat (while he smiled and winked at Dree before Aralt saw him do it).  "As you are an elder, it is easy to forget your way to the caves located to the south."

Quickly offended Aralt replied, "I need no help finding my way rat" as he turned around and stormed from the caves.  Drat followed him to make sure that as he left the caves and he was indeed headed south.  As Drat watched, Dree had quietly followed.  "He is going to be mad when he finds out there aren't any Dragons in the caves to the south, isn't he?" asked Dree.

"Yuppers," replied Drat.  "But that should give us plenty of time to tell the others that he has seen you and what happened.  We should head to the council hall."

"Great and on our way there I heard a new joke," snickered Dree as they started towards the village.  "First I say... Knock, Knock... and you say 'who's there'..."